Soundly Asleep
by Elizabeth90
Summary: Harry has wanted to tell Ginny how he feels for a long time. He doesn't have the courage to do it when she's awake, but one night when he finds her asleep he begins to talk. HG Fluff - Complete!
1. Harry's Confessions

**Author's Note:** Hey, all! This is my third story. I'm not sure how great it is, considering I wrote it all in one day in the span of a few hours. But it's short and definitely sweet. It's taken me a while to come up with any new ideas, but finally I did, so - ta-da! PLEASE remember to Read and Review! It's very important to me. Thanks a lot!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything!

One thing that Harry Potter learned about Ginny Weasley over the course of his sixth year was that she was a very sound sleeper. Once, during the summer after fifth year, Ginny had fallen asleep on the living room couch of the Burrow. Snickering evilly, Fred and George had lit ten of the loudest, most raucous and ostentatious fireworks they owned near Ginny's head. Ginny barely even stirred, although she was slightly hard of hearing the next day. She herself had admitted to Harry that she slept like a rock on most nights, one time when they were discussing dreams they had had in the past.

So when he went downstairs one night in early October in his seventh year, only to find Ginny curled up on the common room sofa, he knew nothing, not a dragon's roar, nor an elephant stampeding through Gryffindor Tower, nor a hundred alarms going off simultaneously, was going to wake that girl up.

It was near two in the morning, he was sure. For the fifth time that week he couldn't sleep, and the source of his restlessness happened to be laying right there in front of him, slumbering peacefully on the crimson couch. To put it bluntly he fancied her, and had for some time now. The only problem was - how in Merlin's name did he tell her? Scenario after scenario had played itself out in Harry's head at night, attributing to the fact that he often couldn't nod off; he had formulated charming things to say or do, amassed certain things he wanted her to know. Yet he had no courage to express any of it to her in real life. It had been torturing him endlessly for weeks, if not months.

Seeing her there, comatose on the couch, Harry had to smile to himself. A silver mug of hot chocolate sat, half-finished and still rather warm, on the table beside the sofa. It was a tradition of Ginny's, Harry knew, to fetch some hot chocolate and lay down in the common room when she was having trouble sleeping. Perhaps she had had one of her nightmares about Tom Riddle again, Harry thought. Whatever the reason she had come down there, she was certainly finding no fault in sleep now - her face was totally relaxed and tranquil, her breathing deep and even.

Harry half hesitated, then approached her soundlessly. The fire was all but dead in the grate; only a few golden embers cast a feeble light into the room. Moonlight from the windows provided the rest of the illumination, silver and graceful. Carefully he knelt down in front of her face, paled by the moonlight, before he remembered he had no need to be careful - he could've played a tuba straight into Ginny's ear and _still_ she would probably not awaken.

And it was this realization that made him start talking, saying what he had been planning to say to her for a long time. What did it matter? The girl wasn't going to wake up.

Just in case, though . . .

"Ginny. _Ginny._ Ginny!"

Nothing. Not the vaguest response.

With that, Harry grew confidence. Making himself comfortable on the floor beside the couch, he tucked a few strands of fiery hair behind her ear for her, and began.

"Ginny, you and I have known each other for a long time. Your family has taken me in, given me a lot, done _so much_ for me. And . . . Ginny, you have too. So much. More than you could ever know, probably. And I know I'm a prat for not having realized it before, but you've been here all the time, haven't you? You've been a constant in my life since day one, since that first time I saw you at Platform Nine and Three Quarters. You've always been there for me. In fifth year when I was being a certifiable git almost all the time . . . you were there to put me in my place. Not even Ron and Hermione dared to do that. You comforted me when no one else could, and you helped me without question, always.

"And when Sirius died . . ." He paused and stared at his lap for a few seconds, then went on, "When Sirius died . . . I thought the world was over. I really did. I thought, 'What good is life anymore? What's the point, the purpose? I'm just going to die anyway, and my friends are too, if I don't stay away from them. I'm going to kill them just like I killed Sirius.' And . . . well . . . you know as well as I do how I was then . . . it was terrible. One of the worst times of my life. But you . . . you showed me hope. You always followed me when I hid away, brooding, and you were kind when you needed to be and, well, bellowing when you had to be. You helped me see it wasn't my fault Sirius had died, that Voldemort's to blame. You even started saying his name that summer, remember? And slowly, I got better. You did that, Gin. I think Ron still takes credit for that, but it was you. Completely.

"But when I had accepted Sirius's death I was faced with the prospect of my own - that is to say, the prophecy. I hadn't told anyone; I'd been harboring it deep inside myself for months. It was killing me. I couldn't deal with all that by myself . . . and you cornered me one day, and you forced me to tell you. And then the confidence you showed in me! I've never had half as much confidence in myself as you did in me at that moment. You just said, 'You'll defeat him, Harry, I know you will.' And that was all I needed to hear."

"Then in sixth year . . . wow . . . you gave up your position as Seeker just so _I_ could be Seeker again. Who else would do that? That was so generous of you, Ginny, so kind . . . I can't tell you how much that meant to me. And then you became Gryffindor's star Chaser, of course, and you helped Ron deal with all the trials and tribulations of his captaincy. And you and I also teamed up to get Ron and Hermione together . . . now _that_ was a feat. I really don't think anything would've been done between them had you not given them a push.

"I know I didn't really know you that well before fifth year, but - during sixth year especially - I really got to know you. And like you, and not just because you're related to my best friend, either, because I know you might think that sometimes. But I like you for _you._ You became my good friend. We played chess together . . . you walloped me every time but once, when I cheated, which you found out a week later and hexed me to tap dance the rest of the day. We played Quidditch together, did homework together. And then we both started having nightmares . . . Voldemort related ones, usually, except for that one I had where Ron decided he wanted to be a woman and started wearing lipstick and a red dress - oy, still one of the scariest of my dreams to date, but anyway . . .

"So we started getting up in the middle of the night and coming down here, and soon you started suggesting hot chocolate, so I showed you the Invisibility Cloak and we began sneaking down to the kitchens and fetching great mugs of it. It was an accident the first few times, our meeting up in the common room; then we started coming down here planning on seeing each other - well, I don't know about you, at least that's how it was for me. You might've simply come down for the hot chocolate, I don't know. At first we just talked about our nightmares and things weighing on our mind . . . then it started getting into other stuff. I told you things I'd barely told Ron and Hermione, and you told me details about your first year, with the Chamber and all. Maybe you couldn't tell, but I really loved those midnight talks. They were all that kept me going for a while. . . .

"Don't you see, Ginny? Don't you _see_ how important you are to us, to everyone? To - to me," he added quietly. He knew he would've been beet-red if he'd been been announcing this to an awake Ginny, but the knowledge that she was asleep and insensible to everything he was saying was quite confidence-boosting.

"Ginny, I don't know if you like me anymore like that . . . I know you once did . . . but then in fifth year you - what did Hermione say? - _gave up on me?_ And you started going with 'that Corner git,' as Ron would call him. Then in sixth year it was Dean for a few months . . . but you haven't dated anybody in a while now. And you and I have been doing quite a bit together for some time . . . we even went to Hogsmeade together a few weeks ago, when Hermione and Ron wanted to spend the day alone with each other. That was one of the best Hogsmeade visits I've ever been on. Much better than with Cho Chang, or, as I now like to think of her, the Human Hosepipe. What was the name you came up with for her again? Oh yeah, Waterworks Woman. I like that. It certainly fits.

"Ha, that reminds me of that time Ron told me I needed someone 'a bit more cheerful.' Which leads me to the point of this useless rambling. Because you _are_ a bit more cheerful - I mean a lot more cheerful - I mean . . . well, you're the person that I need. I, er . . . I'd meant to word it more eloquently, but I guess that doesn't matter, as you're dead asleep and I'm basically talking to myself.

"But I love you, Ginny Weasley. I really, really do. I have for a long time now. And that . . . well, that's . . . that's just what I wanted to say." He wrenched his gaze from the fireplace, onto Ginny's face. It was still and serene and very pretty, in that silvery half-light.

For the first time in hours Harry felt truly tired; unless he missed his guess he would be able to sleep well now. "Goodnight, Gin," he whispered, leaning in close. Tentatively he kissed her on the nose, then, slowly, heavily, retreated up the stairs and to his dormitory.

And, once he had left the common room, once the door to his dormitory had slammed shut for the night, a very awake Ginny Weasley turned over and grinned into her pillow.

**Author's Note:**

Hehe . . . so she was pretending to be asleep that entire time. Poor Harry. Do you think I should leave it how it is, as a sweet, rather ambiguous little one-shot? Or should I add another chapter or two, explaining from Ginny's point-of-view, or perhaps just saying what happened the next day? I'll leave it up to you now, my faithful readers, because - I can't decide! Just include your preference in your review, if you can. Thanks so much! You're the best!

_- Elizabeth_


	2. Ginny

**Chapter 2: Ginny**

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**Author's Note: **Well here it is, the second chapter of _Soundly Asleep._ Thank you to everyone who reviewed and gave me advice, as I had no clue what to do! I actually counted up the votes; there were several who wanted me to leave it as it was, as a one-shot. But most preferred another two chapters or so, so here it is! I hope it's good; I did refer back to my first chapter constantly to ensure I had everything right. This is Ginny's point-of-view now! I thought it might be rather amusing to see what she thinks of everything. The next chapter will be about what happens the next day. Teehee! :) Please review this chapter as well! Thanks!

Ginny Weasley couldn't sleep. The maroon sheets were much too heavy, she wasn't remotely tired (though it was about one thirty in the morning), and, to top it all, she was direly thirsty. Thinking of the Transfiguration test she had to be fresh for in the morning, she tossed and turned a few more times before finally giving up, thrusting aside the covers, and rising. The sixth year girls' dormitory was murky and silent, save for the light, uniform breathing of her classmates. Quietly she padded out, dreamily thinking how good hot chocolate sounded.

Trotting down the staircase into the common room, she half-expected Harry to be there, hunched in one of the armchairs and staring broodingly into the dying fire. Over the past year they had been meeting quite frequently in the common room, discussing this and that. Ginny cherished the meetings, although she wondered what Harry thought of them. He was probably annoyed that she kept him up so late into the night.

It wasn't Harry that was in the common room, she discovered a moment later, but Dobby the house-elf. In the midst of dusting off a table, he had found one of Hermione's knitted elf hats and was just putting it on with a grin of utmost glee. At the noise from the stairs he turned toward her; his smile grew when he spotted Ginny, his ears waggling happily and nearly overbalancing the stack of hats atop his head.

"Why it is Harry Potter's other Wheezy!" he cried squeakily, running over to greet her. "What is you doing up so late? How can Dobby accomodate you, miss?"

"Hi, Dobby, how are you?" she said, smiling. She liked Dobby; Harry had introduced them last year.

"Good, miss, very good! Dobby was just cleaning up the common room, and he hoped he would find one of Hermione Granger's hats, miss, and he did, he did!" He pointed excitedly at the cap on the very top of his collection, which was yellow with purple polka dots - Hermione had recently begun adding decoration to them.

"That's great, Dobby! Listen, d'you think you could get me some hot chocolate? I'm dying of thirst."

Dobby clapped his hands together as though he had just been given a wonderful treat. "Why, miss, Dobby would be honored! Would miss like some eclairs or muffins too? Or Dobby could make a whole roast chicken for miss, he wouldn't mind, he'd -"

"No, thanks, Dobby, I'm fine," said Ginny, laughing, and Dobby bowed carefully and zipped out. With a yawn Ginny sank onto the couch in front of the fireplace. Dobby was back in a minute, offering her a huge, steaming mug of hot chocolate deferentially.

"Thanks, Dobby! It's great," she praised, taking a sip of the delicious drink.

"Of course, miss! Dobby is always glad to serve, and especially Harry Potter's girl Wheezy! But now Dobby must go. Goodbye, miss!" With that he left the common room.

"Bye, Dobby!" 

Ginny had only finished half her cocoa before exhaustion caught up with her. Yawning again, she set her mug down and lay down on the couch. She had just closed her eyes when loud footfalls sounded, coming from the staircase to the boys' dormitories. Cracking them open, she was just in time to see none other than Harry Potter himself stumble down, his hair sticking up in absurd directions, the sure signs of a sleepless night. For a second she was tempted to sit up and wave; but then the mischievous side - admittedly the side of her that spoke in Fred and George's voices - took over.

Suppressing a smile, she shut her eyes again quickly and feigned slumber. She would trick him into believing she was asleep, and the moment he got too close - she would jump up screaming. Ginny had to quash a giggle as she imagined the horrified look on Harry's face at this unexpected turn of events.

Thus she remained perfectly still as Harry approached, ensuring her breathing was even and full, as though she were soundly asleep.

To her surprise he knelt right in front of her, carefully at first, then a bit more casually, as though he figured it didn't matter if he was loud or not. He clearly knew that when Ginny Weasley was asleep, Ginny Weasley _stayed_ asleep, no matter what disturbances rang out.

Too bad Ginny Weasley wasn't actually asleep.

"Ginny. _Ginny._ Ginny!" he said, half yelling on the last word.

She started slightly at the sudden call, but he didn't notice. Against the temptation to flutter open her eyes and look at him, she remained motionless. She wasn't about to jump out at him yet - he was expecting it.

But then Harry did something she didn't expect - he reached up and pushed aside two strands of red hair that had fallen over her face. A funny feeling of warmth flowed up through her; goose bumps rose on her arms. Briefly she considered giving up the charade and letting him know she was awake; but then he started talking, and she was entranced.

His voice was soft and hushed, and rather awkward at first; then it grew strength with every word. She couldn't believe he was talking to her - why in the world would someone yak away to a sleeping person? . . .

"Ginny, you and I have known each other for a long time. Your family has taken me in, given me a lot, done _so much_ for me. And . . . Ginny, you have too. So much. More than you could ever know, probably. And I know I'm a prat for not having realized it before, but you've been here all the time, haven't you? You've been a constant in my life since day one, since that first time I saw you at Platform Nine and Three Quarters. You've always been there for me. In fifth year when I was being a certifiable git almost all the time . . . you were there to put me in my place. Not even Ron and Hermione dared to do that. You comforted me when no one else could, and you helped me without question, always. . . ."

Ginny had to stop her brow from crinkling. Her resolve not to let him know she was conscious was rapidly withering. In fact, she realized, the only reason he _was_ talking like this was because she _was_ asleep - or appeared to be, rather. _He can't tell me this during the day,_ she thought, amazed. _He's too embarrassed._

Harry continued, talking on and on - about Sirius, about sixth year, about Quidditch, about their late-night encounters, about _everything._ She listened intently, battling the impulse to open her eyes, to sweep him up in a hug, and exclaim, "You git, you can tell me this when I'm awake, you know!" But something held her back - perhaps it was the knowledge that if she did the latter, Harry would be embarrassed beyond all belief; or the fact that she was desperate to hear what he had to say, and he plainly wasn't keen on conversing to an awake Ginny. So she stayed as she was, curled up, exhaling and inhaling rhythmically, seemingly comatose. . . .

The most rigorous test of her resolve came several minutes later, when Harry said, in a somewhat strangled voice, "Ginny, I don't know if you like me anymore like that . . . I know you once did . . ."

Ginny's body tensed up completely, but Harry's eyes were averted to his lap, and he didn't see. Her jaw clenched. _Are you kidding me? How can you doubt it?! I am entirely in love you, you blind prat . . . arrrrgh!_ The urge to reveal her wakefulness was now almost too powerful to fight; but, after gritting her teeth until her gums ached, the desire abated a bit. Enough to hear his next words, at any rate.

" . . . But then in fifth year you - what did Hermione say? - _gave up on me?_ And you started going with 'that Corner git,' as Ron would call him. Then in sixth year it was Dean for a few months . . . but you haven't dated anybody in a while now. . . ."

_Oh good, you've bloody realized it,_ Ginny thought irritably. _And I wonder why that is, that I've turned down every dating offer I get? I don't know . . . starts with an H, see if you can't guess it . . ._

Harry's voice continued haltingly. "And you and I have been doing quite a bit together for some time . . . we even went to Hogsmeade together a few weeks ago, when Hermione and Ron wanted to spend the day alone with each other -"

_To snog,_ Ginny added mentally.

"- That was one of the best Hogsmeade visits I've ever been on. Much better than with Cho Chang, or, as I now like to think of her, the Human Hosepipe. What was the name you came up with for her again?"

_Waterworks Woman,_ thought Ginny, inwardly snickering.

" . . . Oh yeah, Waterworks Woman. I like that. It certainly fits."

_You said it. Dumbledore could employ her to create a second lake for Hogwarts . . ._

"Ha, that reminds me of that time Ron told me I needed someone 'a bit more cheerful.' Which leads me to the point of this useless rambling. Because you _are_ a bit more cheerful - I mean a lot more cheerful - I mean . . . well, you're the person that I need. I, er . . . I'd meant to word it more eloquently, but I guess that doesn't matter, as you're dead asleep and I'm basically talking to myself."

_That's what you think,_ Ginny chuckled to herself. But his next words stopped her dead.

"But I love you, Ginny Weasley. I really, really do. I have for a long time now. And that . . . well, that's . . . that's just what I wanted to say."

Ginny's heart stopped mid-beat. Had she misheard? No, she couldn't have heard correctly . . . that was a mistake . . . it . . .

But then Harry leaned forward and whispered tenderly, "Goodnight, Gin," and he kissed her on the nose. And that, in Ginny's mind, settled the matter.

Employing all the self-control she possessed, she waited until Harry had trudged across the common room and up the stairs - before thrusting her face into the couch cushion and grinning with every morsel of delight within her. She doubted she would ever _stop_ grinning, to tell the truth.

She couldn't believe it - Harry loved her, he _loved her._ She grabbed the cushion and squeezed it to her, grinning and grinning.

But then she realized it . . . she wasn't technically _supposed_ to know. Harry certainly thought she had no idea. The poor boy believed he had been jabbering on to an unconscious person.

Then her face split into a new grin, an evil grin, a Fred and George-like grin. She was going to have a lot of fun with Harry tomorrow. . . .

**Author's Note:** Don't worry, Chapter 3 won't be long in coming! :)


	3. The Next Day

Chapter 3 - The Next Day

**Author's Note: **Here it is, the final chapter of _Soundly_ _Asleep_! I'm really proud of this story - it's generated more reviews than any of my other two fics. I am unimaginably grateful to everyone who reviewed . . . your reviews really brightened my day. It's wonderful to be able to come home after a long, _long_ school day and get that kind of encouragement! Email me anytime - I don't know many H/Gers but I would love to meet some. Smart people, all of them. ;) Oh, by the way, it might be a good idea to quickly reread the first chapter, because it's quoted rather a lot in this one. Just a suggestion to refresh your memory!

Well here it is, hope you enjoy it and I hope I did this story justice! If you have any suggestions just add them in your reviews! And review the whole story, please!

When Harry awoke that next morning at eight o'clock, the first person he thought of was, inevitably, Ginny. Sitting up and rubbing his eyes, he puffed out a breath of frustrated air. If only he could tell her what he'd said last night, in the common room, while she was _really_ listening. _It'll never happen,_ sneered his cynical side.

Several minutes later he was dressed and following Ron into the common room. Hermione swept over at once, her overflowing book bag clenched in one hand.

"Good morning! You _did_ study for the Astronomy test today, didn't you? I studied two hours last night, but I think one of you was using some of my notes, I couldn't find the ones about lunar eclipses _or_ Mercury's atmosphere, so I ended up rereading the whole textbook, I _hope_ I have everything right . . ."

"Hermione, you _are_ the textbook! You ace every test, you know about _every_thing except Wronski Feints. You. Will. Be. Fine," said Ron, with a begrudging confidence. "It's _me_ you should worry about. All I know is that Saturn's the largest planet and there's something called a Kipper Belt. . . ."

"Jupiter's the largest, and it's _Kuiper_ Belt," Hermione corrected automatically. "_Honestly._ You've taken Astronomy for, how long, seven years?"

Ron scowled. "Don't remind me."

Sniggering, Harry said, "Well, come on, Ron, let's go take our Sausage Belt test . . ."

"Shut up, Harry." 

Harry had just opened his mouth to retort when Ginny joined them, dressed and smiling, apparently rapturous about something.

Ron cast cranky eyes over his younger sister. "What're you so happy about?"

Ginny shrugged and flashed Harry a brilliant smile. "Oh, there're just a lot of things to be happy about . . . it's Friday . . . it's a beautiful day . . . and not to mention I had _the_ most wonderful dream."

Ginny thoroughly enjoyed the sight of Harry's rapidly paling face. She smirked up at him impishly.

"Really? What did you dream about?" asked Hermione conversationally, as they made their way from the portrait hole and down the corridor.

Ginny molded her face into a thoughtful expression. "Hmm . . . I don't know . . . it's a bit foggy . . . I daresay it'll get clearer as the day goes on . . . someone was _talking_ to me, I think. Yes. Sitting next to me and talking to me. What about? Something about Quidditch and being there for someone and a _whole_ lot of other things. And there was also something about . . . what was it? Oh it's on the tip of my tongue . . . I can't think of the word . . . begins with an L, though, I'm pretty sure."

"Leprosy?" suggested Ron. "Lemur? Lemon? Leg? Licorice? Lizard? Lion? Lawn? Limerick? . . ." He didn't stop listing off L words until they sat down to breakfast, and Hermione elbowed him hard in the chest to make him shut up.

Harry, however, evidently knew _exactly_ which L word she was referring to - _love,_ which he'd so candidly professed to her the night last. Ginny struggled not to burst out laughing at Harry's reaction. He was running his hands repeatedly through his hair, staring down at his plate with a face full of horror.

"What's the matter, Harry?" inquired Ginny innocently, smoothing out her napkin. "You're not eating."

"N-nothing," he managed, grabbing a roll and nibbling at it without appetite.

"How can you not remember what your dream was about, if it was so good?" Ron demanded a few minutes later. Harry spat out some of his orange juice and threw Ron an evil look - Ginny knew he didn't want that topic pursued any farther.

"Oh I'll remember it eventually," Ginny assured him, and Harry's eyes bugged out. She addressed him with an expression of concern. "Really, Harry, what's wrong? You're being so quiet! You were so talkative last night!" 

Harry goggled at her, red assailing his cheeks. "What - you - you don't - I - that - not - wh-wh-what d'you mean?"

Ginny cocked her head at him, full of bright-eyed innocence. "Last _night,_ Harry. When we were doing homework together. Remember?"

Harry sighed audibly and slumped back in his seat. "Oh - oh right - well I'm just . . . tired."

"Late night?"

He fidgeted. "Yeah. A bit."  
  
"What were you doing?" she pressed lightly, spearing a square of hash brown. "Talking?"

"Yeah - I mean no - that is to say I really just -"

But it was then he was saved, because the bell rang, and Ginny stood up at once and shouldered her bag. "Goodbye! See you at lunch." _I'll spare the poor boy,_ she thought gleefully, sauntering away. _For now._

Hermione and Ron didn't notice, because they were absorbed in an argument about Snape - a git or not a git - but Harry waved farewell. His stomach was still in uncomfortable knots, his palms perspiring. Ginny must've been channeling a prophet or something - he couldn't see how she be so _perceptive_ about everything. _Why_ _did I have to open my big fat mouth last night? _groaned Harry inwardly. _I swear off talking to sleeping people! It's too risky._

Harry didn't see much of Ginny for the next couple of hours - in truth he was avoiding her. He did _not,_ under any circumstances, want to trigger any more memories from that _"dream"_ of hers. But that night in the common room there was no escaping it. He was having trouble with his Charms homework, and when he expressed this to his friends, Hermione naturally offered to help him.

But Ron said suddenly, "No, you can't, Hermione, you're helping me with my Herbology, remember?"

Harry looked at Ron incredulously. "All we have to do for Herbology is draw a picture of a fanged tulip! You really need her help on _that?"_

"Yeah, well, I can't get the stem right," said Ron unconvincingly; Hermione was frowning at him, but then he exchanged a swift and significant glance with her, and the frown disappeared. Ron continued, "No, you should ask _Ginny_ to help you with your work. Charms is her best subject; she got over an Outstanding on it last year on her O.W.L.s."

Harry reddened. "Well . . . maybe I don't need help . . . I mean -"

"You need help," said Hermione and Ron at the same time. Harry rolled his eyes - he knew Ron had been alluding to him and Ginny together for some time now, but now he had recruited _Hermione_ as well?

"No, I -"

But Ron was already calling, "Oy, Gin! Get over here and help out Harry! Charms!"

Ginny came over immediately.

"No, it's fine, Gin, you don't have to, Ron's just -"

Smiling at Harry widely, she sat down next to him despite his protests and said, "Oh don't worry, Harry, I always help you without question."

Harry went rigid in his chair. He was almost _positive_ that was something he had said the previous night. "What - what did you say?"

"I said I help you without question. I also comfort you when no one else can. Oh, you're doing Illuminating Charms already? Oh I know how to do that, I read ahead in the textbook . . . It's sort of a complicated arm-twisting motion, combined with a little flutter of the wand _just_ right, and the incantation is . . . _Lightus Gralios_? Isn't that right?" Ginny was poring over his seventh year Charms book keenly.

"Wait a minute - hold _on_ - what did you say?!"

"The incantation's _Lightus Gralios."_

"No, no, _before_ that!"

"Oh, right, you're having trouble with the wand movements then? Look how I do it, it's kind of a quick flip of the arm and then . . ."

"No, about the - the comforting and the - helping . . ."

"Hmm?" said Ginny, feigning ignorance. "Harry, are you feeling all right?"

Harry felt confused and disoriented. "Erm, yeah . . . fine."

"Good. Now d'you want to get back to your homework?"

"Sure . . ."

The rest of the evening passed normally. Harry went to bed, still with a distinct feeling of foolishness and puzzlement.

Again he couldn't get to sleep. His insomnia had grown even more insistent. While Ron and Neville snored away, almost in tune with each other, Harry lie awake, troubled, his head abuzz with thoughts and wonderings. After nearly an hour of aimless shifting and discomfort, he stood up and trundled somewhat hesitantly to the common room. He wasn't sure what he intended to accomplish by doing this - perhaps seeing Ginny, or perhaps just relaxing and gaining some peace and quiet from Neville and Ron's snoring symphony.

If his subconscious objective had been to see Ginny, he was sadly disappointed. The common room was quite empty, filled with flickering orange light from the gradually ebbing fire. With a grunt he collapsed onto the couch. The minutes passed by listlessly. His gaze became unfocused . . . he let his mind roam . . .

And then quiet, padding footsteps approached, jerking him from a reverie; he craned his neck around to see Ginny tiptoeing down the girls' staircase. She looked at him levelly, as though she had expected (or hoped) to find him there.

"Hi, Ginny," he greeted her, somewhat embarrassedly; but she said nothing to him. Instead she strode over, straight-backed and matter-of-fact, and knelt on the floor in front of him. He frowned at her. "Ginny, what are you . . . ?"

"Lie down, Harry," Ginny said simply.

"Erm . . ." But such was the calmness and intensity of her gaze that he did exactly as she asked, stretching out on his back on the scarlet couch while watching her questioningly.

"Harry," she began, her tone solemn, "you and I have known each other for a long time. My family has taken you in, given you a lot, done _so much_ for you. And . . . Harry, you've done a lot for us. So much. More than you could ever know, probably."

Harry stared at her with a kind of growing horror mixed with comprehension. He could feel heat rise up as though someone had lit a fire on his face. "You - you - that's what _I_ said - you mean - last night - you heard me -"

Ginny merely grinned at him in assent.

Harry thought he might combust with humiliation. Of all the times Malfoy had ridiculed him; of all the times Snape had ostracized and purposely singled him out; even the occasion he had been publicly drenched in Stinksap and then seen by Cho - all those paled in comparison. He had never felt so sheerly mortified in his entire life, and his panic-stricken, ruby-colored face showed that.

But Ginny just laughed - not unkindly. "Harry, stop that, you're putting my blush to shame!"

"But you - _I'm such an idiot!"_ Harry burst unexpectedly, self-disgust writhing in his gut. "I don't know why I started talking to you, that was the stupidest thing I've ever done -"

"No, that wasn't _the_ stupidest thing you've ever done," said Ginny wisely. "It ranks probably at fifth or sixth, if you ask me. Do you _want_ to know what the stupidest thing you've ever done is?" she added, patient and placating.

Harry arched an eyebrow at her. "I don't know. Do I?"

"It was _not_ saying all that to me when I _was_ awake."

"But . . . _weren't_ you awake?"

"_Yes,_ Harry, but that's not the point - you didn't _know_ that. Harry, if there are things you want to tell me - particularly things like _that_ - you can _tell_ me, you know. I don't have to be soundly asleep for us to have a heart-to-heart."

Harry dipped his head with a sigh. "I know, I'm sorry, Ginny. I guess I was just a _coward._ I mean . . . well, you scare me, Gin."

Ginny grinned, shaking her head. "I know I have the Weasley temper, but, come on, Harry, I'm not _that_ bad. I stop at outright maiming. Sometimes."

Harry laughed, but it was a shaky, nervous laugh. "No, not like that, although your Bat Bogey Hex is not comforting . . . You scare me because . . . well . . . I've never felt like this about anyone else." He swallowed hard, his flush darkening, something Ginny had not believed possible a second later.

Ginny stared at him inscrutably for a few moments, then, as though coming to a decision, repeated, "Lie down, Harry."

Harry, who had been sitting up, seemed about to argue or question her intentions; but then he merely closed his mouth and dubiously did as requested. With that Ginny fixed her hand around his own, took a deep, steadying, breath, and began.

"I remember when Ron told you that you needed someone a bit more cheerful. Which leads me to the point. Because I _am_ a lot more cheerful. And Ron told me once that I needed someone dependable, trustworthy, and, well, to put it in his words . . . a non-git. He didn't exactly belt out 'Harry Potter,' but he might as well have given me hints like 'My best friend, and I'm not talking about the female one,' or 'If you married you're last name would begin with a P.'

"And, well, I'm astounded to say it, but I think my darling brother's right about something for once. To lay it out simply, you're the person that I need. I'd meant to word it more eloquently, but it's alright, because I'm quoting someone very wise."

She grinned at him, eyes twinkling, then resumed, "But I love you, Harry Potter. I really, really do. I have for a long time now - seven years, in fact. And, well, that's - that's just what I wanted to say." She leaned forward and kissed him on the nose.

He turned his head up and kissed her on the lips. "I love you too, Ginny."

Ginny merely grinned at him happily. "Good job, Potter. I wasn't asleep that time. You're getting better." She leaned in for another kiss.

**The End**

**Author's Note: **There you have it! I hope it's a satisfying ending. I'm always very critical about my work and hopefully others find it better quality than I do.

So, in conclusion, what did Ginny learn from this experience? Namely that it's really fun messing with Harry's mind, and that you can learn a lot just by pretending to be asleep. And what did Harry learn out of this? Well, for one, that he can tell Ginny how he feels instead of keeping it inside, or talking to her when she looks like she's sleeping - neither of which is a very good idea. :)

**FIN.**


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